I’m not sure what show this is. I think maybe it’s that Hardball show or something else on MSNBC. Definitely not Keith Olbermann’s show, though. He would never be a part of such an important discussion, or anything cool or awesome in general. Unless you consider unspeakable acts with animals cool or awesome. No, really, did you hear about him and O’Reilly and that emu? What sick world do we live in where those two are still employed after that?

Anyway, a question was posed on this (I assume) well-respected news program that I wish had been asked here:

“Are violent video games adequately preparing our children for the Apocalypse?”

It’s no secret that I’m interested in all things apocalyptic. Hell, I’m currently preparing to shoot a documentary about it this summer. We’re going to spend a month or so following a soldier entrenched in the post-CW (Cyborg War) American rebuilding effort. Trying to tell his side of the story, you know? We’ll simultaneously have another crew investigating whether the reports that earth is dying and a parallel world is emerging in its place are true. Should be pretty enlightening.

A few quick thoughts. Last year, Black Santa, Lanky, and John bought a PS3 and a game called “Resistance: Fall of Man”, which falls into the category of games under discussion here. It’s pretty sick. But just playing that one game will NOT prepare kids for the apocalypse. Because we don’t know exactly in what form it will come. R:FOM will prepare kids to fight in an alternate history that saw Cold War soldiers infected with the monstrous Chimera virus, but it won’t teach them how to deal with, say, cyborgs.

Kids are going to have to immerse themselves in a wide array of apocalyptic video games in order to be fully prepared for any situation. But their preparatory media immersion shouldn’t stop there. They’re going to have to read Max Brooks’ Zombie Survival Guide, as well as World War Z(Ed. Note: One of the most badass books I’ve ever read), his oral history of the last Zombie War, to ensure we don’t repeat certain mistakes.

Musically, I’d advise heavy doses of Coheed & Cambria in case we find ourselves in an intergalactic war-type situation. And there are a wide array of films to be examined. Reign of Fire for fighting dragons. Mad Max for Australian highway gangs. Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome for Tina Turner and Thunderdome-type scenarios.

My main point is that kids need to apply themselves broadly, not just to one specific game or to some World of Warcraft nonsense that won’t prepare them for anything relevant.